Tree Graylings courting

[Chris Jackson]

Hi all,
These courting Tree Graylings in the scrub today at lunchtime in the South of France, were a good opportunity to get an open-wing shot.
I think it was the female who opened her wings all the time - the male just vibrated his.

Here, the female is on the left

Cheers, Chris

[Charles Nicol]

ah c'est l'amour...

[NickMorgan]

Great pictures.

[Pete Eeles]

Very interesting, Chris. Seems like the courtship ritual found in our own Grayling is also found in other Grayling species. I wonder how similar it really is!

Cheers,

- Pete

[Padfield]

Yes, it's a thing graylings do - and in my experience it is always the female with the open wings. This is statilinus:



And this is hermione:



I'm never quite sure whether it is mutual courtship or a hopeful male pestering an uninterested female. I waited literally hours for a definitely amorous pair of briseis to get their act together, precisely so I could get upperside photos, but they just sat looking at each other longingly until I was way past boredom. During that time, neither opened its wings:



Guy

[David M]

Nice sequence, Chris.

This time of year affords you a little extra patience to seek out the unusual and you have certainly found it there.

[Chris Jackson]

Thanks for your comments folks.

Yes David, now that the height of the season has gone, its easier to concentrate on an individual butterfly's behaviour.
We're lucky that temperatures are still getting up to 27°C or so this week, with 15°C or so in the morning (a bit chilly on the motor bike going into work in the morning).

Your photos are good Guy. The colours are more contrasted, perhaps your female statilinus is fresher. I shall have to get back out at lunch again today and see what else I can find.

Cheers, Chris

[CFB]

Nice photos, Chris.

Four years ago I took similar photos of what I believe to be Woodland Graylings (Hipparchia fagi):

This is also reminiscent of the Wood White (Leptidea sinapis) ritual seen recently, though in this case the male never stopped flapping its wings :

--
Colin